Manchester United Women continued their impressive start to 2026.
They have progressed to the final of the League Cup and have also safely advanced to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
They also won 4-1 away to Aston Villa yesterday, but were made to work for the result.
Jess Park was a catalyst for the victory, as she so often has been this season, and spoke to the club’s website after the match.
Jess Park
Reflecting on the match to the club’s website, in which she added another goal and an assist, she stated, “yeah it was a tough game, we had to learn from the first half but we put it right in the second and we managed to get there.”
She went into detail to explain what Villa did well to frustrate Marc Skinner’s side. She claimed, “they packed out the midfield and we played into their trap a little bit. We didn’t move the ball with intensity, or get up to the ball. They were winning a lot of second balls and I just think we needed more energy and tempo. We spoke about it at half time and managed to make it work.”
Park asserted that her side worked much harder in the second half and were far more effective at increasing the tempo and playing around the solid Villa defence.
She continued, “obviously Teri (Elisabeth Terland) coming on and getting her goal was helpful. She brought a lot of energy to the pitch and we needed that. The spaces in this game were out wide, I think I could get the ball more out there and take on a few players and get the goal.”
Hanna Lundkvist
The Swede signed in the January window and scored her first goal for her new club during the match.
Commenting on her introduction to the match as a substitute, she claimed, “I got a pretty clear message to play with my teammates, use their strengths and combine and I feel like that they had been running up and down that sideline, the whole game before, so they were pretty tired. I feel like I got a lot of space and could get the ball forward.”
She also highlighted how talented Park is and claimed, “Jess is a really good player and it is so easy to play with her. I feel like she understand everything around her so I knew that she would see me.”
Lundkvist was also asked how she has found life at United so far, and she replied, “of course it is super easy and nice to come into such a positive team and the atmosphere is really good. We have things to work on as well but we have got the wins anyway. The points are crucial so yeah I am proud and happy to be here.”
Jess Park stats vs Aston Villa
Statistic Value
Goals 1
Assists 1
Big chances created 1
Key passes 1
Crosses (accurate) 1 (0)
Accurate passes 32/37 (86%)
Passes in opposition half (acc.) 18/22 (82%)
Passes in own half (acc.) 14/15 (93%)
Long balls (accurate) 1/2 (50%)
Total shots 2
Shots on target 1
Shots blocked 1
Touches 54
Dribbles (successful) 7 (5)
Was fouled 1
Possession lost 11
Total carrying distance 115.6 m
Carries 14
Progressive carries 3
Total progression 55.4 m
Progressive carrying distance 59 m
Longest progressive carry 25.5 m
Def. contributions 0
Tackles (won) 0 (0)
Interceptions 0
Clearances 0
Blocked shots 0
Recoveries 4
Ground duels (won) 9 (6)
Dribbled past 0
Source: Sofascore
Featured image Matt McNulty via Getty Images
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